Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-02-24

shskes Ehst Cah LOOK bt<@snsointo.
aYes, toothache is a common failing
among snakes" said Keeper John w.
Thompson, the snake-house man at the
Zoo, recently. "You would be sur
prised. One-half of them die from
cancer in the jaw, or some place in the
head, the result OF toothache. The only
way to save their lives when they get
cancers is to cut them out. / have per-
formed quite number OF surgical op-
erations on snakes of this kind"
The visitor gave shudder at the
very thought of handling anything like
venomous serpent. Nov, here is a
snake" said Keeper Thompson, coolly
lifting the TOP of caseSip- which a /.
number of ugly. vlciousiooklng black
snakes were sqnirmlng about. eThis
fellow / took the eye out Of once. I'll
show him to you," continued the
keeper, putting his hand down in the
case and grabbing a long bkick reptile
by the neck. The snakes black eyes
cleaned, and his forked tongue darted
in and out with anger.
Keeper Thompson opened a few more
cases and took out one srake after
another, with a view of inquiring after
the state of their health, with as much
unconcern as man would handle so
many ten-pins. An ordinary person
would be bitten badly, perhaps fatally,
in nine cases out Of ten.
"Now that animal in the case over
in the corner--that diamond rattle
snake--I can't do anything filth. He's
as quick as lightning. Yeu would
hardly believe it, but you tight write
column about that snail He has
not eaten mouthful of isbthing for
two years in consequence f an ulcer
ated tooth"
The rattlesnake did look p little dis
consulate. But his bright eyes shone
wickedly. and he looked Ikea bad GUS
toner. Rattlesnakes are very heavy
in hespring. They don't .often Jump
for anything, but they areas stealthy
and wise as the successful politician
and when they do make Jump they
| get there.
In a careful state Of reservation
Keeper Thompson has among his col
lection of curiositics the ikeleton of q
rattlesnake, showing the bpnes Of The
head and body, tho long Iangs in the
upper jaw, the myriails OF Emall, sharI
teeth in tle lower Jaw, ~. the cayitie:
through which 'tlie ss.sfn escape.
when the snake bisestsS..t the bony
cavities where the venom is seereted ir
the sides OF the head. This skeleton /!
really an Interesting curiosity. Th,
keeper also has several small vials O
crystalized. snake poison. This sub
stance looks Ike i..lail, granalated par
ticles of roshl, aud is ialdly.poison.
| The snakc-l0ise n,an is thorough,
fearless of all the dangerous reptile
| about the place lie opened door il
the side of u teii-foot heavy glass cas-
and walked into where two ferociou
pythons were coiled up In a corner.
These pythons arrived only fe,
days ago, and have been fed only ono
since their arrival on fresh killed rat
bits. The pythons are allied to the bo
family, and have beautifully stripe
bodies. One of them Is II feet lonl
weighs 90 pounds, and is 80 years ol,
and the other is 10 feet long, weigh
co pounds, and is 25 years old. Whc
they arrived in abox, the keeper pickle
J them up in his hands and placed thel
5 in the ease. This task involved SON
peril. n TYIs c,.
The python, when aroused, 10 wonde
fully swift in its movements and ca
S wind coil around d mans aedy an
crush him to death in a twinklin
Their Jaws, when open, measure near
foot apart, and are filed with mo-
sharp, ugly teeth than sharks. The
can swallow good-sized domestic CT
\ whole without any great effort and 81
z joy the feast. They live to o great ag
= and only feed at long inter yals. Phil
), delphia Telegraph. ysi